In his letter to the Romans, St Paul reiterates how one must love. As all commandments are reflected in the one commandment of loving God and loving your neighbor as yourself, he accentuates the fact that one cannot naturally break any other commandment, as love supersedes all.

In the Gospel of St. Luke Christ uses two examples to illustrate the point that to be his disciple we need to have mature dialogue and an unswerving commitment. To stress the point, he speaks boldly and even exaggerates how one must give the first place to God and not to any loved ones. The thought of loving one’s family less than God seems against the very principle Jesus speaks of. But as I reflect on this, the love we have is often a self-centered love. Even a loving family is often for our satisfaction and benefit. We are called to a greater love; ‘agape’ love; selfless love, just as Christ loved us. “Let us ask the Lord to help us understand His love.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, give us the grace to love when there is no reason to love! Amen